RANGERS are back in the top six but missed a big opportunity to re-establish their momentum in the promotion race after allowing Palace to snatch a draw. A calmly converted Akos Buzsaky penalty after 19 minutes looked like it might provide the launchpad Jim Magilton's men needed to ensure there would be no lasting damage from last Friday's first home defeat of the season. Instead, the south Londoners claimed a point with a penalty of their own on 62 minutes. A magnificent save from Palace keeper Julian Speroni denied Rowan Vine a goal near the end when a full-blooded left foot volley looked destined for the net. But that near-miss was just one of several the home side had to live with and they could have done with injecting a sense of urgency earlier in pursuit of a second goal. It was a mixed night for Wayne Routledge, who was taunted by the Eagles fans who used to praise him when he was one of their own. He seemed intent on putting one over his old club, and he was heavily involved in the opening goal of the evening. The winger-turned-striker won possession in midfield and played in an inviting ball for Adel Taarabt to attack the area and sucker Palace defender Danny Butterfield into a foul. But Routledge, one of five ex Palace players in the Rangers ranks, could have inflicted even greater pain on his old side just before the interval when he raced on to Taarabt's pass, only to curl the ball wide with only Speroni in front of him. Palace went close to drawing level after half an hour when Stern John crashed a Darren Ambrose cross onto the near post and Rangers were in a mess from a corner soon after when Palace had several half chances to level during an almighty scramble. But the Rs still looked likely to make the most of their catchup fixture – the product of an unlikely September postponement after an unseasonal downpour. Alejandro Faurlin flitted in out of the game but almost provided Rangers with the two-goal cushion they craved when he aimed a precise shot to Speroni's right after Taarabt had spread panic in the Palace defence before laying the ball back to the edge of the area. Then it was Taarabt's turn to spurn a golden chance to establish a watertight lead when, set free by Buzsaky inside the area, his chip past the advancing Speroni was cleared off the line by Clint Hill. Barely a minute later and Palace exacted full punishment when half-time sub Freddie Sears drew a clumsy challenge from Fitz Hall as the striker tried to wriggle past and Darren Ambrose did the honours from the second spot-kick of the night. Another sub, Alan Lee, had a header stopped on the line by Radek Cerny after Rangers gave the ball away on the edge of their own area in one rare moment of danger for the home side. At least the Czech stopper will be happy there was no repeat of last week's catastrophic goal-kick against Leicester which proved so costly. Line up: Cerny; Leigertwood, Hall, Gorkss, Borrowdale; Buzsaky Ephraim 80), Watson, Faurlin, Taarabt (Agyemang 74); Simpson (Vine 74), Routledge. Subs not used: Heaton, Ramage, Alberti, Ainsworth. Attendance: 14,377